A Letter From FAN Chair Judith Finer Freedman

I can't believe the summer has just flown by and now the 2011-2012 school year is upon us. This year will be different in the Finer-Freedman household as we now have three teens living under our roof (help!). As they get ready for school with their notebooks in hand and with the anticipations of what their new classes will hold, BBYO will also be an integral part of their world. As a proud Texoma Region BBYO alumna, I know firsthand that BBYO will provide my children with an outlet to make lifelong friends, learn important leadership skills, continue our people's mandate for tikkun olam, and most importantly for them, have fun along the way.

Yet, I didn't sell them on those elements to encourage them to join. It was the BBYO programs that got them hooked. And, now they are having a blast with other Jewish teens, and I get to watch them become responsible teens who care about being Jewish. As they test out who they are and what they want to become, their BBYO peers are there to support them in the highs and lows of teen life. Naches would be an understatement to express how I feel about their involvement.

BBYO is our community's best bet in creating tomorrow's Jewish leaders. Please spread the word to your friends and colleagues about how BBYO can change teen's lives in today's complicated world.

Look out for the quarterly Friends & Alumni Network (FAN) e-newsletters. In them, you'll receive updates about today's state of the art local and international BBYO programming, and info about what local alumni, parents and friends of BBYO are doing to support their communities' BBYO program and having fun while supporting BBYO.

I look forward to keeping you connected to BBYO in your community throughout the school year. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time with questions or suggestions. I can be reached at jfinerfreedman@bbyo.org.

If you do not have a log-in and wish to attain one please email fan@bbyo.org

What Alumni are Saying

"BBYO was in my community for my parents, me and my children, and I took for granted that it would be here forever. I volunteer for FAN because I now realize I am responsible to ensure it will be here for my children."

Shelley Robbins, Chair, Memphis FAN

"BBYO was an integral part of my high school experience. As a young adult, I continue to use the skills I learned in my everyday life. I have remained close with many people I met in BBYO and even as an adult, BBYO continues to provide me with meaningful experiences."

Emily Trotz,
past International N'siah

"Getting involved with BBYO's Friends and Alumni Network was a 'no brainer.' Having been involved as a teen, I know how important it is that this new generation experience all that BBYO has to offer. I am honored to help make this happen."

Alex Goldman, Greater Jersey FAN

"At BBYO they don't tell you how to be Jewish, they teach you how to have Judaism be part of your life."